Sweet Amoris Ball
by K5Rakitan
Summary: Join Kari and Violette as they prepare for the Sweet Amoris Ball with their dates Lysander and Jade. Jade shows up with a sweet ride, and Lysander has a few surprises of his own. Enjoy a classy evening with great music and chivalrous gentlemen.
1. Discovery

**Disclaimer:** I do not own MCL or any of its characters.

**Sweet Amoris Ball**

**Chapter 1:** Discovery

It was a beautiful spring day with the scent of cherry blossoms wafting into the school from the garden. I gazed longingly out the window of my history class, just waiting for lunchtime to come so I could eat among the tulips and watch birds building their nests.

This time of year, I always brought a handful of cotton stuffing and scraps from various craft projects to offer the birds. I would set them on a nearly empty vegetable patch and watch quietly from several meters away. Sometimes I would see the same family of birds I saw last year.

Ah! Last year brought back memories. The birds weren't the only reason I loved the garden. I had fallen in love with a boy there, too. At least, I thought I was in love. I had no other words to describe my feelings for him.

The first time I saw Jade, I was shocked by his green hair. Later, as I got to know him, I realized that he was a very caring guy. He helped Violette and me set up some bird feeders before he had to go back to his own school.

"Oh Jade," I said to the window, "I really wish you would transfer here."

Suddenly, a girl with blond hair and designer clothes stepped in front of the window. "Talking to yourself again, Kari? You know, they have _places_ for people like _you_."

The two girls flanking her giggled.

I played dumb and put on a silly grin. "Really? That sounds fun. I'd like to meet more people like me."

"Can't you tell when you're being insulted? You belong in a _mental institution_," one of Amber's friends clarified.

"Hm. That's a thought. I like helping people, so I could work at one. It's a little early for me to decide on a career, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks!"

Amber stood there for a moment flapping her jaw without any words. Her attempt to bring me down had failed. "You're ugly," she said at last.

It was a standard insult meant to hurt anyone, but it meant little to me. Beauty was subjective anyway. I had seen so many girls I considered pretty called ugly by jealous bullies throughout my time at the school that I knew the term carried no significance. "OK, whatever," I said with a yawn. Even if it were true, there were worse things I could be.

"You'll never get a date for the dance," Amber added.

Wait, there was a dance? A flicker of interest showed on my face. "What dance?"

"Oh, that's right. You weren't invited because it's a semi-formal and everyone knows you don't have anything to wear. Poor baby." Amber and her friends made puckering faces that were intended to make me feel small, but they only made me laugh. I couldn't help it. They looked so ridiculous!

The lunch bell rang, and I gathered up my books. Well, thanks for the entertainment, girls. Class always goes faster when you're around. Wanna have lunch with me?"

Amber stuck up her nose and strode out of the room. "As if!"

Reverse psychology triumphed again! Now, I could enjoy my lunch in peace, and perhaps find out more about that dance.

**Closing Note: **Please Review! Reviews make me happy :)


	2. Lunch

**Author's Note: **Special thanks to Chelle and Inkheartwolf17 for reviewing! I think I fixed all the mistakes in the first chapter.

**Chapter 2 - Lunch**

Violette was waiting for me in the garden. She and I had a lot in common. We both liked peace and quiet, and we both liked Jade. Violette shied away from confrontation, though. I just rolled with it and took whatever came my way. I never sought conflict; I just did not think it was worth trying to hide who I was.

"Hi Violette!" I called after putting down my pile of fluff for the birds.

"Oh, hi Kari."

We started eating our lunches in silence for a while before I asked, "So, have you heard about the dance?"

"Yeah. Rosalya was really excited about it. She got a guest pass so her boyfriend could go."

"Guest pass? Hey! We could get Jade to come."

Violette looked down. "I thought of that, but I… I lost his phone number."

"Really? That's OK. I still have it. I put it in my phone and wrote it down in several places at home in case I lost my phone."

Violette blushed. "I… I still don't know. I never got a chance to call him in the first place, so he might not even remember me."

"Of course he remembers you! He asks about you all the time."

"Really?"

"In fact, I think he thinks you forgot about him. Here, why don't you call him and say hi?" I got my phone out and pulled up Jade's number.

"No… no you call him. I wouldn't know what to say."

"It's simple. Just explain how you lost his number and go from there."

Violette still looked uncertain.

"I'll tell you what: We'll both call him after school and put him on speakerphone. We're technically not supposed to make phone calls during school hours anyway, so how does that sound?"

Violette nodded slowly. "I like that idea, but you talk first. Don't let him know I'm even there listening until I give you a thumbs up sign."

"OK! Deal. Hey what about this guest pass thing? How do we get one of those for Jade?"

"I think you can get them in the student council room. Nathaniel should know."

"Cool! Thanks."

We finished eating our lunches in silence while we watched the birds timidly approach my pile of fluff and select choice nesting material. They then flittered away to construct their new homes.

**Closing Note: **Please review! It will make my day.


	3. Tickets

**Chapter 3: Tickets**

With ten minutes left of lunch, I bid Violette farewell and made my way to the student council room. Nathaniel was seated behind a table with a sign that read _Dance Tickets_.

"Hi Kari. Are you here to buy a ticket?" Nathaniel asked politely.

"Buy? I didn't know we had to buy them. How much are they?"

Nathaniel pressed his fingers to his forehead. "All the information was in the school bulletin. You should have read it before coming in here. They're $10 per person, by the way."

"OK. Thanks. I actually don't know how many tickets I'll need yet, so can I buy them tomorrow?"

Nathaniel's face turned purple. "The dance _is_ tomorrow!"

"Really? What time?"

"7:00pm to 9:00pm"

"So, I _can_ buy tickets tomorrow."

"Yes," Nathaniel said reluctantly, "or you can buy them at the door for $15."

"Cool! So, now I need a guest pass. Do you know where I can get one?"

Nathaniel took a slip of paper out of a folder and handed it to me. "This has to be approved by the principal before 5:00pm tomorrow, so it has to be completed before you come to school tomorrow. You need the signature and phone number of a parent or guardian so the principal can call them and confirm that the signature is valid. If your guest shows up at the door and your form has not been approved by the principal, your guest will not be allowed into the dance."

I took the form and thanked him. Nathaniel was always helpful, but sometimes he could be so uptight. I never read the bulletin because it contained information about sports games and other events I had no interest in attending. If they color-coded it with dances in red, garden club events in green, and sports events in yellow, then I would look at it more often. However, I already mentioned this to Nathaniel several months ago and he told me that the school only uses black-and-white laser printers to save money, so color-coding was out of the question. I tucked my guest pass form neatly into my binder and headed to my math class.

**Closing Note: **I am looking for suggestions for songs to play at the dance. I have a discussion thread on MCL for this if you feel like contributing there, or you can simply leave your suggestions in your reviews here :)


	4. Phone Call

**Chapter 4: Phone Call**

After school, Violette and I met in the garden again. I took out my phone and placed it on the picnic table between us. "Ready?"

Violette gulped and nodded.

I dialed Jade from my contacts list and immediately switched on the speakerphone. It rang four times before Jade answered it. "Hi Kari. What's happening?"

Violette twitched.

"Hey Jade. Remember when you were wondering about Violette?"

Jade sighed. "Yeah. I guess I should just let it go. I'd really like to hear from her, but if she doesn't care about me after all…"

"But I do!" Violette blurted.

I was impressed. I did not know Violette had it in her. I flashed her an encouraging smile.

"Violette? Is that really you?" Jade asked.

"Yeah. I… I lost your phone number before I got a chance to use it and Kari, well…" her voice trailed off.

A moment of silence passed before Jade spoke again. "I wish I'd known sooner. I don't know how to say this, but I've grown really fond of Kari even though I've never forgotten you."

"That's great," I said, "because we want to ask you to our school dance tomorrow."

"We? As in both of you?" Jade asked.

"Sure, why not?" I said.

"I just thought that maybe there was something more between us, but I guess I'm still in the friend zone," Jade said.

"Friend zone?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jade said dejectedly, "You don't want me to be your boyfriend, so you want me to go to the dance with your friend, too. I get the message."

"Oh no! It's not that at all. I don't think I would put that label on our relationship just yet, but I do like the idea of you being a boyfriend to me someday," I explained.

"Then… why drag Violette into this?" Jade asked.

Violette looked beside herself. She clearly wanted to say something, but did not know how.

I had a feeling that they would misunderstand me, but thankfully I was prepared to explain myself. "Because I know you like her, and I thought maybe you could be a boyfriend to her, too."

Violette gasped. "Really, Kari? I knew you were nice, but I never knew you were _that_ nice."

Nice? I thought of it as more practical than nice. I saw girls fighting over guys and claiming ownership on them as if they were property or something, but that seemed silly to me. Nobody _owns_ their boyfriends. Besides, why would I want to keep Jade from being happy? Well, maybe it was both practical _and_ nice.

"Sure," I said, "no problem. There is one little matter of this guest pass, though. We need a signature from one of your parents today so we can turn it in and get the principal's approval before the dance tomorrow."

"Oh! It's a good thing my dad is in town, then. I'll call him and have him swing by the school. Just meet him out front. He'll be on a blue Miyata."

We thanked Jade and said our farewells to him. Then, we made our way out to the front of the school.

"I can't believe Jade's dad drives a Miata!" Violette squealed.

"Me neither," I said, "I thought Jade said his dad converted a Saab with a blown engine to run on electricity."

We waited in front of the school for fifteen minutes looking eagerly for a fancy sports car.

**Closing Note:** Neither Miyata nor Miata is spelled incorrectly. That was intentional, and you will find out why in the next chapter!


	5. Vehicle

**Chapter 5: Vehicle**

"Violette, Kari?" someone called.

We turned our heads to see a man walking a blue bicycle with a helmet tucked under his arm. I did a double-take. _Those eyes!_ They were Jade's! He gave us a kind smile.

"Yeah… what happened to your car?" I asked.

"You mean my electric Saab? Well, technically it is my wife's. She likes it for big shopping and work-related trips, and I like my Miyata for the exercise."

Violette blinked and took a closer look at the lettering on the bicycle. "You mean… oh."

"Yes, it's a bicycle. Steel frame. Very reliable. So, I hear you have a form for me to sign. Something about a dance tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah," I said. I pulled the guest pass out of my binder and handed it to him along with a pen.

"We really appreciate you doing this on such short notice," Violette said.

"No problem. I was starting to worry about Jade talking to his imaginary girlfriend all those nights. I'm glad to know that you exist, that _two_ of you exist," he corrected himself. He filled out the paper on top a rack mounted over his back wheel and handed it back to me.

I smiled. "Well, we're not putting labels on anything yet, but who knows!"

Jade's eyes got misty. "Ah, young love! Well, you two ladies have a good afternoon."

We said our goodbyes and waved to him as he left.

"Oh! This is really happening, isn't it?" Violette noted.

"Of course it is! I have a signed guest pass right here. All we need to do is turn it in tomorrow and buy the tickets."

"But it's a semi-formal and I have nothing to wear!"

"Me neither. Let's fix that."

Violette and I skipped off to the clothing shop.

**Closing Note:** I decided that I really like Jade's parents and want to use them again later, but I'll need names for them. If you have any suggestions for naming one or both parents, please let me know!


	6. Shopping

**Chapter 6: Shopping**

When Violette and I reached the clothing store, we spotted Rosalya modeling a gorgeous décolleté knee-length black gown in the window. It had lace around the edges and appeared to be a hybrid of modern and Victorian styles. She waved at us as we entered, and Leigh greeted us inside.

"Hi Leigh," I said, "we're looking for dresses we can wear to the dance tomorrow."

The black-haired boy looked us over and raised an eyebrow. "Are you two a couple?"

Violette blushed madly, but didn't say anything.

"No," I replied, "why do you ask?"

"Couples like to color-coordinate their outfits and often come in to shop together."

"Oh. I never thought of that. I guess we'll just go for whatever happens to look good on us, and if we happen to match, cool! If not, it's no big deal."

Leigh nodded and led us over to a rack of dresses. He picked out a few and up them up to my skin, then Violette's to see if the colors would look good on us.

Meanwhile, Rosalya took a break from modeling. She went behind the checkout counter and started talking to Lysander, who was sitting in the corner writing something in his notebook while wearing headphones. He looked up, and his eyes widened when they fell on me. Rosalya poked him and spoke to him more urgently, but I could not tell what she was saying. Lysander took his headphones off.

Leigh thrust a pile of fabric into my arms, drawing my attention away from the two students in the corner. There was a black dress, a purple, dress, and a green dress in the stack. I saw that Violette already had a similar stack. Leigh told us to go try on the dresses in the fitting rooms. With one last glance at Lysander, I took the fitting room on the right and Violette went into the one on the left.

I tried the black dress first. It was a halter top and seemed to compliment my figure well. I have to admit Leigh knew what he was doing.

"How do you like the black one?" Violette called over the divider.

"It's nice," I said, "How's yours?"

"Not really me. I'm moving on to the purple one."

I admired my reflection in the mirror for a few minutes. The dress was really nice, but plain. It made me feel a lot older and more sophisticated than I really was.

"Can you take a look at this and tell me what you think?" Violette asked.

"Sure." I stepped out of the dressing room to see Rosalya tugging on Lysander's arm. Then, Violette came out. She looked absolutely beautiful in a purple spaghetti strap dress with gold and silver beads embroidered on the bodice. "Wow! That's perfect," I told her.

"You sure it's the right one?"

"For you, yes. Me… I'm not so sure. I still have to try on the others still."

"But you look great in this one!"

I shrugged. "Eh, I'm not sure it's me."

I ducked back into the fitting room, but before I did, I noticed that Rosalya had managed to get Lysander to his feet. The purple one did not suit me at all. It just hung from my body like a piece of cereal box cardboard. I had no idea how Violette made it look so good.

I changed almost immediately into the green dress. It hugged my shoulders and made my neck look graceful. A gold geometric design graced the borders of the dress and the sash at my waist. I played with my long, curly auburn hair until it cascaded over my shoulders in just the right way.

Suddenly, I heard a commotion outside. "Come on LysBaby, just _ask_]. It can't hurt to ask.

I opened the door to find Lysander sprawled on the carpet in front of me with his brother and Rosalya pinning him down. Rosalya and Leigh had apparently used teamwork to drag him across the store. "What are you all doing?" I asked.

**Closing Note:** Any guesses what Lysander is going to ask?


	7. Asking

**Chapter 7: Asking**

Violette came out of the dressing room to see what was going on as well. The green dress looked nice on her, but not as good as the purple one. She stood there, watching silently.

Rosalya and Leigh let go of Lysander and jumped back, trying to look innocent. Lysander picked himself up and straightened his coat. "Hi Kari. I admired the way you handled Amber today. Most people try to beat her at her own game, but you took a more creative approach; deny her battle in the first place."

"Thanks," I replied.

"Lys wants to ask you something," Rosalya declared.

Lysander hesitated, but I think he realized that Rosalya and Leigh weren't going to let him get out of this. "Now I apologize in advance if this is too forward, but I would be honored if you would come to the dance with me." His heterochromatic eyes radiated sincerity.

"Wow! Yeah, that sounds great. I'd love to go with you."

Violette leaned over to me and whispered, "Kari, what about Jade?"

Lysander smiled softly. "What time should I pick you up?"

"Actually, Violette and I are also going with a guy from another school. I'm close enough to walk, so I figured I would just do that."

Lysander's smile faded. "Oh. Is this guy just a friend or something more?"

"We're not sure yet. We both like him, so maybe he'll be a boyfriend to both of us."

Rosalya's pupils dilated, and she leaned forward. "You don't mind sharing your boyfriend?"

I shrugged. "I don't see how a person can be mine in the first place, so why not?"

Lysander squirmed like he had something to hide. His hand went to the jabot at his throat, and he fiddled with it. "I am not sure I am comfortable with this. What if this other guy gets jealous. What if I get jealous?"

"Just tell me and we'll go from there."

Rosalya sidled up to Leigh and slung her arms over his shoulders. "Honey, do you ever get jealous?"

"Huh?" Leigh asked.

"I've been wondering something for quite some time," Rosalya continued, "call it a theory. I think there are some people out there who just don't experience certain emotions. Either that, or they can easily recognize the damage that certain emotions cause and set them aside."

"Theory, huh? That's interesting. What made you think of that?" I asked.

Lysander squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and breathed deeply.

Rosalya noticed Lysander's reaction, but seemed unconcerned by it. "Well, disgust for one thing. It's a totally useless emotion, but most people feel it. Doctors and especially surgeons are an exception to the rule, though. If they let disgust drive them, they would not be able to get anything done properly. Maybe jealousy is another useless emotion."

I never knew Rosalya could be so deep. Then again, I never really got the chance to talk to her until now. She was always flirting with Lysander or rushing off to see Leigh. There were rumors about her and Lysander, but I never paid any attention to those. I believed in getting to know someone directly. Even if the rumors were true, I didn't see what the big deal was.

A moment of silence followed where Lysander looked from Rosalya to me, and then back at her again. She returned his gaze steadily.

Then, Violette muttered, "I… I think that jealousy comes from insecurity. I used to be jealous of Kari because I thought she was better than me. Then I learned that I had my own gifts and talents, so she wasn't any better, just different. Sometimes I still feel insecure about myself, but now I know it is better to work on improving myself than it is to dwell on what someone else has."

I had sensed that Violette felt that way somewhere in the back of my mind, but I never really thought about it until now. This day just kept revealing more deep and personal truths. I felt like I should share something more about myself, but I didn't have anything hidden in the first place. My life was an open book, and maybe that's why the others felt they could also open up in my presence.

Lysander smiled softly again. "If you keep talking like that I might just fall for you too, Violette."

"That's the spirit. Hey, we could make it a double date," I said.

"Let's make it a triple date!" Rosalya cried.

Leigh just stood there and blinked. It was almost as if he expected this, but still did not know how to handle it.

Lysander's eyes shifted to his older brother. "Have you ever heard the song 'Triad' by Jefferson Airplane?"

Leigh shook his head.

"It was well before our time, but I think they had a point," Lysander stated. He went behind the counter to retrieve his music player and handed it to Leigh.

I stood there awkwardly for a moment while I watched the brothers become absorbed in the world of music. Then, I gave Violette a single nod and went back into the fitting room to change. I really liked the green dress, and felt it would be perfect for the dance. I had no idea what Lysander and Jade would be wearing, but since we would be going as a quartet or maybe a sextet rather than as separate couples, I think that matching all of us would be difficult.

I put the dresses back on their hangers and went back out to see Lysander and Leigh talking softly. Rosalya perched on a stool between them, listening eagerly. I put the black and purple dresses on the restock rack and kept the green dress while I waited for them to finish.

Violette met me there. "Do you like Leigh, too?" she whispered to me.

"I don't know. Maybe if I got to know him better I would, but I have no clue at this point."

"Remember last year? There was a rumor that Leigh gave Rosalya a love poem, but Lysander actually wrote it and she knew it was really him all along."

"I don't believe rumors unless I hear them straight from the horse's mouth, but that would explain a lot of things. Maybe that's what they're talking about right now. I still don't think it is any of our business, though unless they decide to tell us."

"True."

Violette and I waited until the three of them were done talking. Leigh looked up and said, "I'm sorry. Are you ready to make a purchase?"

"Yes, I've decided. How about you, Violette?" I asked.

Violette nodded and held up the purple dress.

"So, what's the plan? Are we talking double date or triple date or what?" I asked.

"We can all go together, but let's not put a label on anything just yet. Rosalya and Leigh are still together, so I feel that there are certain boundaries to respect. I don't want to see either of you getting too cozy with Leigh in front of the whole school. We have enough rumors as it is," Lysander said.

I nodded. "I'll agree to that."

"Me too," Violette said.

Leigh rang up our purchases, and we paid him. He did not even crack a smile at us. I found it odd, but maybe that's just how he was.

Violette hugged me as soon as we got out of the store. "I can't believe we have _two_ dates, and maybe even a third."

"Yeah, it is cool. Even if Jade wants to dance with you most of the night, I'll still have Lysander and vice-versa. This will be great!"

We parted company, and I walked home to do my homework. I was actually grateful for the homework, because otherwise I would have been up all night with excitement. Instead, I fell asleep exhausted from thinking about logarithms and exponents.


	8. Scrape

**Chapter 8: Scrape**

The next day was very peaceful. Amber and her friends were too busy talking about their hair and nail appointments to bother me. Lysander was busy writing in his notebook or taking notes for class most of the time, but he looked up and gave me a little smile when our history teacher went off on a tangent about life in the Himalayas.

At lunch time, Violette and I went to the student council room to turn in Jade's guest pass and buy tickets. Nathaniel showed some surprise when we each handed him $5 for Jade's ticket, but did not argue. Nothing in the school rules said that two people could not invite the same guest.

After school, I went straight home to get a head start on my homework. I had the whole weekend to do it, but I liked having at least some of it out of the way. It also helped me pass the time. Unlike Amber and her friends, I did not feel the need to spend my time and money in a salon. I had already spent more than I intended on the dress anyway.

At 6:00pm, my phone rang. My heart raced when I saw Jade's name on the screen. Hopefully, nothing was wrong.

"Hi Kari. Guess what? My mom is letting me take the EV out tonight. Would you like a ride to the dance?" Jade asked.

"Well I was planning on walking, but as long as it isn't too far out of your way…"

"You were going to walk all by yourself late at night? That's dangerous."

"I'm only a block from the school, and the street is well-lit," I explained.

"I'd still rather pick you up. So, is it that big apartment complex just north of the school?"

"That's the one!"

"That's not out of my way at all! I'll meet you at approximately 6:55, then?"

"That sounds great. Thanks, Jade!"

After we said our goodbyes, I was overcome with an irresistible urge to hum. I never felt unsafe in Sweet Amoris, but I still found Jade's concern for me touching. Plus, I always wanted to see the electric Saab.

I sat down with a mirror and started putting on my makeup. I did not wear it every day like Amber and her friends did, but Auntie had taught me how to do it last year and I kept in practice. I started with some dark brown eyeliner, and then applied some eye shadow primer. Auntie swore by that stuff. Next came the eye shadow itself. I started with gold on the inner corners and darkened it to bronze, then copper on the outside edges. I finished it by applying two coats of dark brown mascara and some glittery gold lip-gloss.

I had some jewelry lying around, but nothing that really worked with my dress. In the end, I decided to skip it. I slipped into my dress and some strappy sandals that went almost up to my knees. Now, I was as ready as I was going to be, and I still had ten minutes to wait for Jade.

I strolled out to the balcony porch of my second floor apartment and gazed over the city. I could see Sweet Amoris High School from there, and the parking lot was still mostly empty. A few early birds lined up at the door, probably dropped off by their parents. I could not make out who they were from this distance, but I would find out soon enough.

A sleek burgundy convertible rolled up to the curb in front of my apartment. I looked down on a head of violet hair and another head of green hair in the front seat. That must be them!

I raced downstairs and found Jade opening the door to the front seat for me. He wore a black suit with a green bowtie that matched his eyes. I looked back at Violette and smiled. Only one back seat was free, and the other was covered by a rubber blanket of some sort. "What's under there?" I asked.

"Batteries," Jade said, "my dad says they're safe to look at, but don't touch them without rubber gloves. I'll let you take a peek at them later if you like."

"Yeah, that sounds cool," I said. I buckled my seatbelt and Jade drove us towards Sweet Amoris.  
There was only one stoplight along the way, but somehow we found ourselves stuck there. Castiel pulled up next to us in a red Mustang. I looked over to see that Lysander was also in the vehicle, but nobody else.

Castiel revved his engine, trying to taunt Jade. "Hey! Let's see what you've got under your hood."

Jade shook his head. "Sorry. My mom would kill me. You can take a peek under the hood after we're parked, though."

Castiel revved his engine again. "Chicken!"

Lysander put a hand on Castiel's arm. "Please. Not this time, OK?" His eyes met mine.

Castiel grunted and turned to say something to Lysander, but I could not hear it because by that time the light had changed and we were rolling away from them.

I guess Castiel missed the light change because five seconds later, his car rocketed past ours and cut in front of us into the parking lot. Jade slammed on the brakes and yelled a profane word that I had _never_ heard him utter before. A sickening _scrape_ followed when the front of the Saab contacted the side of the Mustang.

Castiel parked his car in the closest parking space he could find and jumped out. The Mustang was clearly not damaged in any of its functional components, but it certainly looked ugly. Lysander followed, trying to keep his friend under control. Jade had barely parked his mom's car when Castiel came at him with fists swinging.

"Hey man, I don't want any trouble," Jade said as he ducked the first blow.

Violette and I screamed, and a crowd gathered to watch the scuffle. Amber was one of the first to arrive on the scene, and she leaned forward to watch.

"You should have thought of that _before_ you wrecked my car," Castiel yelled. He grabbed Jade by the collar of his shirt and shook him.

Boris pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "What's going on here?"

Reluctantly, Castiel let go of Jade. He crossed his arms and glared at everyone. "This punk wrecked my car," he declared.

Boris turned his gaze on Jade. "I think I've seen you around here a few times, but I can't remember your name."

Poor Jade was really shaken. He had to take a few deep breaths before he could answer the teacher.  
"Well Jade, is this true?"

Jade nodded. "Yeah, it… I'm sorry… I…"

Lysander realized that Jade was having trouble talking and came to his defense. "Sir, if I may, I saw the whole thing. Castiel was driving recklessly and cut in front of Jade. However, Jade should have braked faster."

"Jade stopped as fast as he could!" I protested.

Amber flipped her hair. "No way! He could have stopped _much_ faster than that. He _meant_to hit Castiel."

Boris looked confused. "Jade, from the look in your eyes I don't think you did this intentionally, so can you explain why you took so long to slow down? Were you just not paying attention?"

Jade took a deep breath, and Violette put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I was paying attention and I stopped as fast as I could. It's just that this car is really heavy and it always takes longer than other cars to stop. I know this car's stopping distance, and under normal conditions I can keep it under control, but…" Jade shook his head.

"What do you mean 'heavy?'" Boris asked.

Jade turned around and reached past Violette. He grabbed the rubber mat and lifted it up to reveal a stack of big plastic boxes clamped together. "They're lead-acid batteries, and they triple the weight of the car."

"Why are you taking all of those to a dance, nerd?" Amber asked.

"I'm not really _taking_ them to the dance; they're part of the car," Jade explained. He got out and walked around to the front of the car. He opened the hood and propped it up.

Violette and I followed Jade around to the front of the car and took a peek. Inside, there were more batteries clamped tightly in place and a short black cylinder about the diameter of a utility pole with some wires and gizmos surrounding it. I had no idea what that stuff was, but I had a feeling my questions would be answered soon enough.

Castiel snorted, and then looked into the engine compartment himself. He suddenly grew pale. "You… you don't have an engine… what's _that_ thing?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you all along. It has a _motor_, not an engine. These batteries make it go. That's why I didn't want to race you."

Castiel chuckled. "Of course! That dinky little thing could _never_ compete with my beast."

"Actually, if we were on an open stretch of road with no stops built for racing, I would probably win. The motor is a lot more powerful than it looks. It's accelerating and decelerating with all these batteries that's the problem. I never drive it too fast because I know its limitations."

For once, Castiel looked impressed. "Where are you from, kid?"

"15.8 km south of here," Jade replied.

"You don't have to be so precise," the red-haired boy said.

"Actually, I do. This car only goes 102 km every time it is charged, so I need to plan out how far I'm going whenever I use it."

Castiel looked bored now.

Nathaniel wiggled his way to the front of the crowd. "Hey, what's the…" he looked from the small dent in the Saab's front bumper to the large scrape in the side of Castiel's car. "Kari, did your guest do that?"

"Yeah, but we already determined it was an accident."

"I see… Well, does he have a license and vehicle registration?"

Jade nodded and pulled out his paperwork.

"I suggest you two exchange information and sort it out later, then. I can't bar either of you from the dance for something like this unless you damaged school property, so I suggest you be more careful next time." With that, Nathaniel turned and went back to his duties inside the gym.

"All right, kids. Break it up. There's nothing left here to see unless you want to take a look at that motor," Boris told everyone. The students wandered back into the dance, and Violette stood beside me while the boys sorted through their papers.

**Closing Note:** I have some more fun pictures up on the actual MCL website for this if you would like to follow that.

I'm also making a forbidden sequel here on that will NOT be available anywhere on MCL. I posted the first chapter early as a placeholder so you can subscribe to it if you are interested, but the rest of it will take a little longer.


	9. Fibonacci Numbers

**Chapter 9: Fibonacci Numbers**

After digging through their respective glove compartments, Castiel and Jade exchanged numbers while Lysander talked to Violette and me. "I didn't expect to meet your date in quite this manner. I thought you were coming separately anyway."

I shrugged. "We had a last-minute change of plans."

"Wait, _what!?_" Jade exclaimed all of a sudden. He had been talking to Castiel while Lysander was talking to us, and I had not heard the first part of the conversation. I could hear a song by Panic! At The Disco drifting over the parking lot towards us, but it was distorted so I wasn't sure exactly which one it was.

We all turned to look at Castiel. "Ask them if you don't believe me."

It was then that I realized I had neglected to tell Jade about our double date with Lysander. Everything had just happened so fast. I quickly explained how Lysander had asked me to the dance only yesterday and how I thought it was a good idea to balance the gender ratio. Besides, none of us had any claims on each other. Jade nodded with understanding as I spoke, but still seemed a little uncomfortable. "Think of it this way: now you can spend some alone time with each of us," I finished.

Jade hesitated. "OK, but now we're no longer a Fibonacci number."

Violette and I looked at him blankly.

"They're a sequence of numbers generated by adding the previous two numbers, and these numbers occur in nature all the time: zero, one, one, two, three, five, eight, thirteen, and it goes on like that. Four isn't in there, so we have an unnatural group unless we bump it up to five…" Jade looked at Castiel.

"Oh no, not in a million years," Castiel said, "I'm not joining your weird little hippie commune. Lysander may be able to handle sharing girls, but not me. I'm outta here. You sort through your own mess." With that, he retreated into the school and joined the dance.

"But four is a great number. Four seasons, four cardinal directions, four, um…" I listed.

"Four beats in a bar of music," Lysander finished for me.

"OK, you have a point about the seasons. Our years contain two solstices and two equinoctes which define the four seasons. Some music is based on three beats, though. That's a cultural thing. As for the cardinal directions, that's also cultural. Native American cultures often use six-" Jade was cut off by a squeal from across the parking lot.

We all turned to see Rosalya dashing towards us, and Leigh following several paces behind her. Rosalya wore a deep purple ankle-length dress with long slits up both legs, which made it easy for her to run. How she managed not to trip with her silver spiked heels I'll never know. "LysBaby! You look so hot." Rosalya jumped on him and gave him a huge squeeze.

"We have six now. We can be two groups of three if that makes you feel better. Both of those are Fibonacci numbers, right?" I said.

Lysander gently pried Rosalya off him when Leigh caught up. "Perhaps we should act like three groups of two," Lysander suggested.

"You mean like, rotate partners?" Leigh asked.

"Oh, that sounds fun!" Rosalya said.

Violette looked shyly from Leigh to Lysander with a blush. "If neither of you want to dance with me, I understand."

"I never said I wouldn't dance with you. In fact, I'll dance with you first," Lysander said. He held out a hand to Violette, and she took it timidly.

Rosalya boldly linked arms with Jade. "Well, I want to save the best for last, so take care of Leigh for me, OK Kari?"

I looked up at the tall young man with dark hair. He seemed so cold and unresponsive that I did not know what to do with him. In other words, I had a challenge on my hands. When I thought of it that way, Leigh seemed more exciting and mysterious. "OK," I agreed.

Leigh offered me his arm mechanically, and I took it. We then promenaded up to the school and presented our tickets to Nathaniel on the way in.


	10. The First Rotation

**Warnings: **Love Scene, Greek Letters, and Currency signs.

**Chapter 10: The First Rotation**

Leigh hit the dance floor immediately, and we started rocking out to "Lights" by Ellie Goulding. He turned out to be surprisingly good at dancing. He did not bother trying to talk over the loud music, which I found to be a relief.

The next song was "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant, and by that time I had gotten used to Leigh's rhythm. He could really let loose and move. Next came "Cha Cha Slide," and that really got the party started. We danced steadily through "Ghosts N Stuff" by Deadmau5 and "Promises" by Nero before we got to "Starstrukk" by 3OH!3 . The beat was intense, and I found my eyes locked with Leigh's brown orbs. They had a deep, powerful allure, and I started to understand what Rosalya must have seen in them.

Suddenly, Amber cut in and threw her arms over Leigh's shoulders. She yelled something to Leigh over the music. I could not make out her exact words, but in retrospect it must have been something along the lines of, "I saw your $₤₪₮ girlfriend with another guy. You deserve better. Why don't you dance with me instead of this ₩#ΩΓΞ?"

Leigh peeled her hands off him and walked away from the dance floor. I followed close behind him, but Amber followed closer. She shot me a dirty look as I struggled to catch up to him through the pulsing crowd.

Rosalya was by the refreshment table with her arm around Jade when she saw Leigh approaching. The look of concern on her face must have mirrored his. I was still making my way through the dancing bodies at that point, so I only got a glimpse of them. "Maneater" by Nelly Furtado was pounding out my eardrums at this point.

Finally, I was close enough to Amber to hear her. "See, I told you!"

Leigh turned to face the blonde. "I already knew that. I was just trying to get away from you."

Castiel happened to be passing by the refreshment table at that moment. "Ouch! Burned." He snagged a carrot and continued on his way.

Amber shot one last dirty look at the rest of us before going after Castiel.

"What was that all about?" Lysander asked. He and Violette had spotted the confrontation and came as quickly as they could.

"Amber called Rosalya and Kari some nasty names, and then tried to dance with me." Leigh turned his gaze back on Rosalya. "I can stand to see you with someone else who makes you happy, but one thing I won't tolerate is someone who disrespects you for it."

"Aww Leigh!" Rosalya released Jade and gave Leigh a long, deep kiss.

A few heads turned to look at us. I could just imagine the new set of rumors about Rosalya and Leigh forming. To an outside observer, it would seem that Rosa and Leigh had broken up and gotten back together. However, there was no breakup, no dishonestly, not even a shred of anger on Rosalya's part. Leigh was harder to read, but Rosalya was clearly enjoying the freedom Leigh gave her.

"I'm so glad you didn't let that vile girl steal you away. She's a pure manipulator, and it's clear that she's more interested in breaking us apart than just being with you. As for Kari and Violette…" Rosalya winked at us, "I know you two will give him back to me when you're done, so it's all cool." Rosalya broke off from Leigh and latched onto Lysander. "Well, I say it's time to rotate. Come on LysBaby!" She dragged him onto the dance floor.

Leigh gave me a slight bow. "It was an honor dancing with you, and now I believe it is my turn to dance with Violette."


	11. Second Rotation

**Chapter 11: Second Rotation**

Leigh extended a hand to Violette, and she took it with a shy smile. Gone was the redness in her cheeks. It seemed that her time dancing with Lysander had instilled some confidence in her. They made their way to the dance floor to the beat of Gangnam Style while Jade grazed on the vegetable platter at the refreshment table.

"Doesn't it bother you at all what Amber said about Rosalya and me?" Jade asked.

"No. Why should it?" I asked.

"It's kinda true. The way Rosalya dances is a little… um… you know. I just didn't expect to be dancing like _that_ with a girl I've never met before."

"Well, did you enjoy it?" I asked.

The song changed to "Irresistible" by Jessica Simpson.

Jade hesitated, but came clean. "Yeah. I feel guilty about it, though."

"Just because Amber got on your case about it?" I asked.

"It's not just that. It's you. I felt like I should have been saving my dance moves for you."

"Saving? But the more you dance, the better you get. Consider Rosalya practice. I'd rather have you warmed up and ready to go, anyway."

Jade relaxed at that, and we went back onto the dance floor to enjoy the rest of "Irresistible." Jade did not have quite the same moves Leigh had, but I could feel that his heart was in it. We continued dancing through "I Want You Back" by Savage Garden and "Feel So Close" by Calvin Harris.

Then, the DJ made an announcement for "Drift Away" by Dobie Gray, the first slow song of the night. The students cheered and quickly divided into pairs while some left to stand by the walls.

Jade held me close as we danced, and I got to feel his strong, lean frame through the fabric of his suit. A warm, tingling sensation spread from my heart to the rest of my body. I almost died of happiness in that moment, but thankfully the song ended before I really did drift away.

"C'mon C'mon" by One Direction started to play, but neither of us cared for that song too much and we needed a break from dancing anyway. Jade took my hand and led me out through the courtyard and into the garden. The music faded until we could just barely hear it. We sat down on a bench, and he took both of my hands in his. An owl hooted in the distance, and the scent of cleome flowers permeated the air.

"Kari, I've missed you so much," Jade began.

"Me too," I agreed.

"I think we have something real here, and even though we go to different schools I'd like to know that this will last. I guess what I'm trying to say is… will you be my girlfriend?"

I looked into his gleaming green eyes and saw the deepest sincerity there. However, I still wanted to dance with Lysander. I wanted the chance to dance with more guys without fear of cheating or breaking hearts. "I like you a lot, Jade. I may even love you, but please understand that I'm not going to be anybody's property. We can be together and this can last, but I don't want an exclusive arrangement with you. Besides, there's still Violette."

Jade brushed my cheek with his hand. "I think I understand. It's like my mom's car. Our relationship can work, but it will work differently. Everyone else burns one fuel, but you are electric. Your energy can come from the sun and the wind, or in this case me and someone else. There's no way I can be there for you twenty-four-seven, so you deserve to have alternatives. Other people may not understand, but when it comes right down to it this is about what's best for us, not them."

Jade and I started to close the space between our faces. I closed my eyes, and then opened them for just an instant to make sure he wasn't pulling away. Then, our lips connected. I surrendered to sweet bliss, and in that moment I knew I loved him.

Unfortunately, love seemed to be a delicate subject for people even after they showed their affection for one another. I decided to wait a while before dropping the L-bomb on him. I ached to tell him right then and there, but the nagging voice of popular culture I so often ignored got the better of me for once. Characters in television shows always waited three months after kissing before throwing out the first "I love you," and even then it was iffy. Maybe it was superstition, just like the belief many people held about only being able to love person. In any case, we had done enough talking and made enough progress for one day. I didn't want to jinx anything.

Jade sighed. "Well, I guess we better get back to the others."

Jade and I walked arm-in-arm into the courtyard.

**Closing Note: **Please review! Reviews motivate me to write more and update faster.


	12. Third Rotation

**Chapter 12: Third Rotation**

The sound of "Fell in Love With a Girl" by White Stripes grew louder and clearer as we approached the courtyard. We froze in our tracks when we saw Rosalya smooching Lysander. It took them a few moments to notice us.

Lysander startled, but then relaxed when he recognized us. "Kari, Jade. You can keep quiet about this right?"

"Of course, but why all the secrecy?" I asked.

"Leigh understands, but the students at this school - other than you and Violette - don't seem capable of understanding. They spread rumors like it's a bad thing when really all three of us are just really close. I try to protect Rosalya's reputation, but sometimes…"

Rosalya snuggled her head into Lysander's shoulder. "Aw LysBaby! You worry too much. If other people judge us, that's their problem."

"I keep telling you, Rosa. People sometimes become violent against those who are different. We have to be careful," Lysander said.

Rosalya pouted, but did not argue further. A few seconds later, Leigh and Violette joined us. "Ah. There you are," Leigh said.

"Switching time. Take good care of my Lysie, Kari," Rosalya said as she jumped from one brother to the next.

Jade looked from Lysander to Leigh. "I don't mean to pry, but how do you manage this? I want to know in case I find myself in a similar situation with Kari and Violette."

Leigh shrugged. "It's not really anything to manage. Either I let Rosalya have what she wants or she'll find someone else who will let her have it. I'm just glad she turned to my brother rather than some complete stranger. I trust Lysander to look out for her."

Jade nodded. "I don't have a brother so I don't know exactly how you feel, but that makes sense. Kari and Violette seem kinda like sisters. Not in blood, but in spirit. Just knowing your perspective on things helps a lot. Thank you." Jade smiled at Violette. "Are you ready?"

Violette nodded enthusiastically and took the arm that Jade proffered. They made their way back to the dance floor along with Leigh and Rosalya. I could hear the tune of "Larger Than Life" by the Backstreet Boys echoing through the courtyard.

Lysander lingered, and I drew closer to him to find out what was on his mind. "Kari, can I ask you a huge favor?"

"That depends on what it is, but go ahead and ask."

"Will you pretend to be my girlfriend?"

He looked at me with honesty in his gold and green eyes, but why did he use the word_pretend_? "Uh…"

"It would help me protect Rosalya's reputation. I've been thinking about doing this for a long time, but I never found someone I could trust until now."

"Lysander, I see where you are coming from, but I'm not good at pretending. I have to know that there are feelings there, too. I'm attracted to you, but if I'm just a tool to protect your other girlfriend…"

In that moment, Lysander grabbed me and kissed me. His hot passion caught me off-guard, but once my brain figured out what was happening, I kissed him right back. He had a very firm grasp on this whole kissing thing, too. I don't know whether it was a natural gift or hours of practice with Rosalya that made him so good, but wow! When he finally pulled away, it took me a few moments to catch my breath.

Lysander took my hands in his and stared into my eyes. "I hope that erased any doubt about my feelings for you. Rosalya is still very important to me, yet I also like you. I have to hide my feelings for her from the rest of the school, but I'd like to have someone I can be openly affectionate with. Will you be that person?"

"Yes!" I cried. I threw my arms around him and gave him another kiss. "Oh, and I'm with Jade, too."

"I understand. I'm relieved, actually. When I found out that you already had a date and still wanted to go with me I didn't believe it at first, but then when I realized you were serious, I knew it meant I wouldn't have to hide Rosalya from you."

"Would you have hidden her from someone else?"

"I don't know. I'd like to say no, but honestly I have a hard time trusting people unless they open up to me first."

Just then, Castiel dashed into the courtyard. He dove behind Lysander and me to hide. "If Amber comes this way, you two don't know where I am," he hissed.

"Cassie! Oh Cassie!" Amber called through the courtyard. She noticed Lysander and me standing with our bodies pressed close together. "Lysander, have you seen Castiel?"

"Sorry. I can't help you," Lysander said.

"He's probably looking for me too, then. The last slow song is coming on and I'll bet he's waiting for me on the dance floor." Amber turned around and headed back into the gym. We could faintly hear "Cupid Shuffle" echoing through the courtyard.

"Ugh. I don't even know why I came here. Let's go, Lysander," Castiel said once Amber was gone.

"No. I'm saving the last dance for my girlfriend," Lysander said.

"Your…? Oh never mind. I'll wait for you in the car." Castiel hopped the fence that enclosed the courtyard and disappeared from view.

"So, does Castiel know about you and Rosalya?" I asked.

"Maybe. If he does, he either doesn't let on or doesn't care. Castiel and I are close, but some things we just don't discuss. He's not big on gossip anyway, so I don't think it matters much."

We heard the DJ making an announcement from the gym, but it was distorted by the time it got to us. Then, the students cheered. Lysander and I exchanged glances and raced back to the gym. We got there just in time to hear the intro to "As the World Falls Down" by David Bowie.

Hearts still pounding, we held each other close and swayed to the music. I spotted Jade dancing with Violette and flashed them a smile. I knew that Rosalya and Leigh were also on the dance floor somewhere, but I was too busy savoring my dance with Lysander to look for them.

As the song ended, Lysander gave me one last soft kiss. Then, Rosalya came bouncing up to us out of nowhere and hugged me. "I can't believe it! I finally have a metamour!"

"Not so loud," Lysander cautioned.

"Nobody here knows what it means, anyway," Rosalya pouted. She then slipped back to Leigh.

Lysander sighed as he watched his other girlfriend go. "Well Kari, I believe it is time for us to part. Have a safe ride home with Jade. I would offer to take you home myself if I was driving, but since Castiel is not a cautious driver I think you are better off with Jade."

"But what about your safety?" I asked.

"I'll figure it out. Maybe I can get Castiel to let me drive. If not, I'll hitch a ride with Leigh and Rosalya."

"That sounds smart. Well, goodnight Lysander."

We parted, and I went to join Jade and Violette. "I never knew that Lysander and Leigh could be so nice," Violette said as we walked out to the Saab.

Jade opened the door for Violette, and then me. "Kari, do you mind if I drop you off first? I'd like to talk with Violette a little longer."

"Sure. No problem." I knew that something was going on between Jade and Violette, but I didn't think it necessary to intrude on their privacy or insist on full disclosure.

Jade drove us back to my apartment. This time, we did not have to deal with a competitive Castiel. When we got there, he squeezed Violette's hand and got out to walk me to my door. "Kari, this night has changed my whole outlook on the world. I always dreamed of having a girlfriend, but I never thought I would wind up with two. Thank you so much!"

"Now you have two reasons to visit Sweet Amoris more often." I set my wrists on his shoulders and slipped my fingers through his smooth green hair.

"True," he said.

We leaned in and kissed each other one more time before parting. I would miss him more than ever now on school days, but at least I also had Lysander right here in town. I fell asleep dreaming of both of them.


	13. Monday

**Chapter 13: Monday**

We had been assigned a group project on indigenous peoples' rights in history class. Lysander and I joined forces with two other students we did not know since neither Violette, Castiel nor Rosalya was in that class. We would have to do our research at home, so in the meantime we just divided up the work and exchanged contact information.

Amber threw some money at her entourage, who would probably do all the work for her, and traipsed over to our group. She flipped her long blond hair so that it flew in my face as she stepped between me and Lysander. "So LysBaby, I know you're just dating Kari because you feel sorry for her, but you know you're not the first. I hear that every guy who has ever dated her got cooties, and one guy got them so bad he had to leave the school."

Lysander cringed. Nobody called him LysBaby except Rosalya, not even me. "You heard, huh? What evidence do you have to back up your claim?"

"Ken." Amber crossed her arms over her chest. "He dated Kari last year and was hospitalized for cooties."

I burst out giggling. First, the last time I had lice was in second grade, and since then I had been completely cured of it. Second, Ken had gone to military school, not to the hospital. Finally, Ken and I were just good friends. I suppose that if he came back and we hit it off again we could be something more, but he would have to be OK with Lysander and Jade in order for that to happen.

"See? Kari's a mad woman. She _enjoys_ giving cooties to people."

Lysander smirked and let a little chuckle out.

"What's so funny?" Amber demanded.

"If what you say is true and by 'cooties' you mean lice, standing so close to Kari with your back turned towards her is not a good idea."

Just as Amber turned to look at me, I flipped my own curls. The blonde shrieked as they brushed her face and fled back to her seat. Her two friends pawed at her hair frantically looking for little bugs. Lysander and I just sat back and enjoyed the scene.

**Closing Note: **Please review! The epilogue comes next, and then I'll transition into the sequel.


	14. Epilogue

**Epilogue - Wednesday**

I was sitting at my desk doing my homework when my phone rang. I picked it up immediately out of habit. My mom called every Wednesday at this time to check up on me. She lived in New Denton City, which was a town full of factories and run-down schools. She had sent me to Sweet Amoris to get a better education. While Auntie lived nearby and helped me out if I needed anything, I was mostly on my own.

"Hi Mom. How's it going?" I asked.

"More or less the same. Our neighbors had a baby and put a big blue stork on their front lawn. You could have a summer job babysitting if you wanted. Otherwise, things are pretty quiet. I'm going to put you on speakerphone so you can talk to your dad, too."

"OK."

"Hi Kari!" Dad said.

"Hi Dad!"

My mom continued talking about the neighborhood gossip for a few minutes. She always did most of the talking when we were on the phone. "So, how are you doing in your classes?"

"Great. I've got no worries there. World History class is a lot more fun than I thought it would be."

"How so?"

"I'm working with my boyfriend on a project, and-"

"Wait, _boyfriend?_"

"Oh. Yeah, a lot happened over the weekend. There was a school dance, and long story short I have two boyfriends now."

"_Two!?_"

"Calm down and let her explain," Dad said.

"OK. Please tell me this is a joke or some childhood game you're playing," Mom said.

"Um, no. I really do have two boyfriends, Mom. One of them is in my history class, and the other is from another school. He helped out at the gardening club last year, and we kept in touch," I said.

"So, you're dating one guy from each school until you decide which one you want," Mom assumed, "that's really unfair to them. I thought we raised you better than that."

"No, Mom. I'm not deciding which one I want. I've decided that I want both of them."

"But you're not committing to either one of them."

"Well, they are my boyfriends. We've been together less than a week, so I wouldn't call that seriously committed just yet. Someday maybe, though."

"So, you'll choose one of them eventually, then?"

"No."

My mom was silent for a while.

Then, Dad said, "So, tell us more about them."

"OK. Jade is the guy who goes to another school. He's amazing at gardening, and his parents have an electric car they built from an old Saab. He's really kind and has green hair."

"_Green hair!?_" Mom screeched.

"There's nothing wrong with that. It shows the kid has a sense of individuality," Dad said.

"You better not have _too_ much _fun_ with these boys," Mom said. She then started to lecture me on all the things I was too young to do, all the things I should only do after getting married, and all the things that I should never, ever do under any circumstances.

"Did you ever do any of those things, Mom?"

"That's not the point. The point is that you are going through a phase, and I don't want to see you get hurt in the process."

"Mom, how is this a phase?"

"You'll grow out of it and eventually settle down to marry one man, have kids, and raise a normal family."

"What if I don't want to do all that?"

"We'll send you to therapy to help put your life back on track, but hopefully it won't come to that."

"Mom, this is ridiculous! I've got two great boyfriends. You should be happy for me, not trying to fix me."

"She has a point," Dad interjected. "There's probably a good reason she's dating both guys. We've only heard about why she likes one of them, so let's hear her out on the other."

"Thanks, Dad. Anyway, Lysander is the one at my school and he's really smart. He has a passion for history, especially the Victorian era. He also has heterochromatic eyes and a cute smile."

"That's great, sweetie," Dad said.

"Honey, I think we need to talk about this more. I don't think it's appropriate for our daughter to be doing this kind of thing. People will get the wrong impression of her and think that she's loose. Then she'll never find a respectable husband. Listen, young lady: this discussion isn't over. I want you to think carefully about the consequences of your actions. We'll talk more tomorrow."

With that, my mom hung up the phone. It was the first time in… ever she had not told me that she loved me before saying goodbye. I got the feeling that I was walking on very thin ice with her. She was so supportive when it came to my studies and achievements with the gardening club, but not this. Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut.

**Author's Note: **That's it for this story, but never fear! The adventure continues in _We_ Look So Good With _Our_ Boyfriend_s_! Just visit my page and you'll find it there.


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